🐾 Planning vs. Reality: What I Learned Flying With Two Dogs

When I planned this trip, I had the entire day mapped out neatly in my head: work my normal schedule, leave right at closing time, get to the airport with two hours to spare, breeze through check-in, and settle onto an easy evening flight. And on paper, that plan looked flawless.

The reality? It went fine… but it was a lot. And now that I’ve lived it, I have a handful of lessons that anyone traveling with two dogs — especially a service dog and an in-cabin companion pet — might really want to hear.

A Full Workday + Night Flight = Rough Combination

I normally wake up at 5:45 a.m. and work from 6 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. This trip fell on a day I also worked, and while it saved me from losing a full travel day, I didn’t check in to the hotel until midnight. By the time the girls decompressed, had water, and settled, it was 1:30 a.m. before I finally got into bed.

Next time? I won’t work a full day before flying at night — especially when I’m the designated human in charge of two dogs.

Thankfully, having help now meant I could leave at 5 while McKenna closed up shop (thank you, McKenna!). We hit a bit of traffic and pulled into the airport right at the two-hour mark.

Check-In: Smooth, Friendly, and Surprisingly Easy

We tucked Queenie into her carrier, got Lyla’s vest on, and headed straight to the counter. Alaska Airlines directed us to the first-class counter, and honestly, they were lovely. They checked our bag for free since I was traveling with a pet in cabin, didn’t ask for a single document, and got us processed quickly.

Queenie’s carrier has removable wheels — something to keep in mind if you plan on using a rolling soft-sided carrier. They get heavy after a while.

With TSA PreCheck, I expected security to be a breeze, and it mostly was. What I didn’t expect was having to get queenie out of the carrier, take all their gear off and carry both dogs through the metal detector. Queenie was a little unsure, but once her carrier came through the scanner, I unzipped the top so Lyla could ride with her. Lyla is helping model appropriate PSD behavior for Queenie since we're training Queenie to eventually take over — and for the most part, she really is getting it.

On the way to the pet relief area, I ran into another traveler who had made the same rookie mistake I did years ago: all their poop bags were in their checked suitcase. When Lyla flew with me the first time, she was so nervous going through security that she immediately squatted and pooped after security… and I had nothing but a zip-top bag with snacks in it. I now carry many. I handed this traveler a roll with a few left and said, “Trust me, keep these for your trip.”

Gate Time: A Mix of Calm and Chaos

We made it through security in record time — even with the government shutdown. The girls pottied, stretched, sniffed around, and then we loaded back into the carrier and rolled to the gate with over an hour to spare.

I grabbed dinner and water for them and checked in with the gate agent to confirm pre-boarding for passengers with disabilities and to ask about an upgrade.

And this is where things got… odd.

The gate agent was convinced I wasn’t allowed to fly with a service dog and a pet in cabin. I stayed calm and explained that I had already verified with both airlines, complied with all requirements, and was cleared to fly. She wasn’t rude, but the interaction wasn’t warm either. She typed furiously for several minutes, eventually confirming I was correct — but because she didn’t want to be nice, I ended up boarding last instead of early, which I knew was going to be difficult.

We used the bathroom one last time, stretched our legs, and tried to stay relaxed while the delay grew from 20 minutes to nearly an hour.

Boarding: A Tight Squeeze (Literally)

By the time we boarded, almost everyone was already on the plane. If you’ve flown before, you know people are in a hurry to get settled — and we were navigating all of this nearly last.

I had been reassigned to a window seat, and the people in my row were already seated. They had to get up while I juggled Lyla, pulled Queenie’s carrier in, removed the wheels, grabbed what I needed out of my bag, shoved my tote and wheels into the overhead bin, and slid Queenie under the seat.

Something wasn’t right — the carrier wouldn’t go all the way under. That meant almost no room for me or Lyla. But we made it work, and I did my best not to feel like I was holding up traffic or being “in the way,” especially after the gate interaction and our delay.

We taxied for 35 minutes due to short staffing from the government shutdown. During takeoff, Lyla rode in the carrier with Queenie so I could cool down, then settled back into my lap during the remainder of the flight.

Once we landed and the aisle cleared, I stood to get the girls out and discovered the problem: the flaps that cover the Velcro for the carrier wheels weren’t closed. Queenie was literally Velcro-attached to the plane carpet.

Mystery solved.

We got the wheels reattached and headed to the pet relief area — though neither girl needed to go — then continued to baggage claim where Grandma picked us up. The self-check-in at the hotel was a dream; by then, I was absolutely done “peopling.” We got a snack, water, settled in, and crashed.

The Trip: Adventures, National Parks, and Great Memories

The trip itself was wonderful. We went house hunting for grandma, sightseeing, stayed at Best Friends Roadhouse and toured the Sanctuary, and visited Bryce Canyon, Zion, Sand Hollow, and Valley of Fire — all before heading back to the airport for our 4 p.m. flight on Monday.

Because of all the delays on the way out, I moved our return flight from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. There was no way I could get home at midnight and function at 6 a.m. for work on Tuesday.

The Trip Home: Smoother, Though Not Without Surprises

At the airport, we had almost no wait. Delta was slightly more expensive for Queenie to fly, and I had to pay for my checked bag. They also asked for Lyla’s DOT form, which was expected.

Because of the flight change, my TSA PreCheck didn’t transfer. The counter agent didn’t catch it, so I ended up going all the way to security only to have to go back downstairs — and onto the wrong elevator, which dropped me outside by baggage claim. I finally got back to the counter, got my PreCheck added, and started over.

To add another layer, we were traveling with medication from Lyla’s recent dental procedure that had to stay cool. The ice pack melted while we on our way to the airport, so it triggered a search. The agent explained she’d either need to throw it out or I could go through extra screening. With two dogs in tow, an extended pat-down would’ve easily cost us 20 minutes. Easy decision — toss the ice pack.

After a potty break, a wardrobe change (I was still in shorts from the 80-degree weather), and picking up dinner, we checked in at the gate. No upgrades were available, but I got to board early and had an aisle seat.

Right before stepping onto the plane, I removed the wheels from Queenie’s carrier again — lesson learned — and we settled in. Delta’s plane had seatback screens, so I didn’t need my tablet stand or large headphones. The girls had plenty of room this time, and I even ate my dinner with Lyla curled in my lap.

We were delayed again, but still arrived right on time. I’m convinced they build in extra time for boarding and deplaning because both flights claimed to be 2.5 hours and were just under two.

Final Thoughts and What I’ll Do Differently Next Time

Overall, not much could have been improved on my end — but I definitely have a game plan for future trips:

• I’ll upgrade to first class or buy a second seat for more space.

• I’ll use a shorter in-cabin carrier.

• Wheels come off the carrier before stepping onto the plane.

• I’ll avoid working a full day before a night flight.

• And, above all, I’ll keep being kind — even when airline staff are stressed or rude.

I usually prefer flying Alaska, but I’ll say this honestly: Delta felt more accommodating with the dogs, even though the cost was higher.

And despite the chaos, confusion, delays, and Velcro-to-the-carpet moments… we had a fantastic trip.